How a Fat Transfer Can Create a Natural Looking Facelift

When considering a facelift, it is important to know that Dr. Cruise understands the desire for results that will look naturally youthful. For this reason, Dr. Cruise often suggests combining a facelift procedure with facial fat transfer to restore youthful volume for an overall more appealing result. 

Each person’s needs are unique, therefore it is always recommended to have a personal consultation to learn about the procedures available to obtain your desired result. 

What is Fat Transfer?

Fat transfer is a procedure in which fat is removed from a donor area of the body using liposuction, purified, and injected into another area. This procedure may also be referred to as “fat grafting.” Fat grafting can be performed on its own or paired with another procedure, including a facelift, to enhance your results. For example, fat transfer techniques are used in a Brazilian butt lift to sculpt the waist and augment the buttocks. With a facial rejuvenation procedure, fat transfer is performed to restore lost volume in areas such as the cheeks, upper and lower eyelids, tear troughs, temples, and lips.

Pairing Fat Transfer with a Facelift

During a facelift, the skin and underlying tissues are reshaped and tightened to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and folds while reducing skin laxity. Dr. Cruise uses modern facelift techniques to address facial aging such as descending fat and muscles in addition to loose skin to avoid the “windswept” look of facelifts in the past.

As you age, fat descends and volume lessens making fat transfer an excellent addition to your facelift results. In addition to reduced wrinkles and loose skin, restoring healthy fat to the face not only replenishes volume but also improves the overall quality of the skin. During a facelift, Dr. Cruise will strategically place fat to the needed areas, resulting in a remarkably natural look. His philosophy is to add facial fat inside the “V” of the face. This includes areas such as the forehead, temple, eyes, cheek, nasolabial fold, lips, and chin. Adding fat outside of this V can create an unnatural result or round out of the face too much.

Comparing Fat Transfer and Injectable Fillers

Fat transfer is not the only option for restoring volume and creating a youthful look in the face. Dermal fillers such as Juvéderm or Restylane can also be used in some cases to add volume and smooth wrinkles. However, there are some key differences between these options. Dermal fillers are typically composed of hyaluronic acid, a substance which naturally breaks down over time. This means that patients with injectable fillers will require maintenance injections approximately every 6, 12, 18, or 24 months depending on the product used and metabolism. 

Fat transfer is a more permanent option. While only a percentage of the fat transferred will survive, the remaining fat is permanent. Some patients may want a subsequent fat transfer to further enhance their result. Also, over time, existing fat may still dissipate resulting in the desire for a future secondary fat transfer. 

To have a successful fat transfer, the patient must have enough fat on their body for this to be accomplished. Common donor areas include the abdomen, hips, back, and thighs. If a person does not have sufficient fat,  injectable fillers may be a better option. This issue is less common for fat grafting to the face than a procedure like a Brazilian butt lift, as less fat overall is necessary to complete the procedure. During a consultation, Dr. Cruise will explain whether you are suited to fat grafting.

Schedule a Consultation

To learn more about facial rejuvenation including facelift and fat transfer, schedule a consultation with Dr. Cruise. Call our Newport Beach office at (949) 446-1421 or contact us online to schedule your appointment. Out-of-town patients may also choose a virtual Fast Track consultation option.